


devil’s daughter

by eidetic



Category: Original Work
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Childhood Trauma, Curses, Father-Daughter Relationship, Ficlet, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-24 05:23:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20700647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eidetic/pseuds/eidetic
Summary: She was cursed by God, he said. Not for anything that she had done herself, but simply because he was her father. The sins of the father, visited a hundredfold upon the daughter.





	devil’s daughter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kiri_bronach](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiri_bronach/gifts).

Orphaned at birth. Eighteen years of loveless homes and neglect in foster care. Failing schools and their indifferent teachers. Classmates who bullied her. Friends who betrayed her.

Accidents and life-threatening injuries. Near-constant fatigue and ill health. Sexual assault. Not one but _three_ mass shootings in less than five years that she’d been lucky to escape with her life.

She hadn’t experienced the horrors of war up close and personal. Really, that was about it.

They say that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Well, “they” are full of shit. The myriad traumas of her childhood weighed heavily upon her, and she suffered from what she’d self-diagnosed as depression and anxiety. So it probably came as no surprise to anyone that Karen didn’t think she had anything good to look forward to in adulthood, either…

…that is, until she met her father. Her _real _father. Who was actually the Devil. Like, _the actual Devil_. The Abrahamic God’s opposite and eternal nemesis.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you existed. If I had known…” Her father’s lips tightened. He did not like losing his temper in her presence, as the excess of emotion had a tendency to upset her. His arms did grip her tighter, though, almost hard enough to hurt.

He’d only found out about Karen by purest chance—an archangel’s idle offhand comment, a poorly advised attempt at mockery.

She was cursed by God, he said. Not for anything that she had done herself, but simply because he was her father. The sins of the father, visited a hundredfold upon the daughter. Karen wasn’t quite young enough to whine about how it wasn’t fair. On the other hand, she wasn’t quite old enough not to _think _it.

He was remarkably ordinary looking, her Devil father. No bat wings. No goat hooves or horns. Neither beautiful nor ugly. He just looked like another average guy she’d never even notice on the street. Karen kind of took after him in this respect.

That realization had been disappointing. In YA novels, the Devil was always drop-dead handsome, right? Surely his daughter ought to be a bombshell?

Nah. Maybe, Karen thought bitterly, that was part of God’s curse.

But he said that Karen took after him in another—and far more important—respect:

“You have inherited my potential for magic. In time, and with the proper training, your power could grow to equal mine. Though I have fought God for time immemorial, he is too strong. I am always cast down. Perhaps, with you at my side, we could turn the tide once and for all.”

Karen wasn’t interested in some epic, celestial battle between good versus evil. She just wanted her father to love her, and she wanted to be safe and happy. She wanted paternal hugs and kisses all of the time—hugs like the one he was giving her now. It felt so good. She’d never felt so good in his arms. She pressed her face into his warm chest didn’t try to stop the tears from sliding down her cheeks.

“Vanquishing God is the only way to break the curse placed upon you,” her father reminded her.

Karen sniffled and nodded. “I know.” A long pause, a deep intake of breath. “Okay, I’ll do it. Teach me.”

She hadn’t experienced the horrors of war up close and personal yet…but now it looked like she would. She wanted to believe this wasn’t just another iteration of God’s curse. She hoped this would be the beginning of the end and that a brand new start was nigh.

She hurt, oh, she hurt, but yes, in spite of herself, she hoped.


End file.
